alldayPA,

April 19 2018, 10

How Much Does an Answering Service Really Cost in Manchester UK?

There has to be a clear reasoning behind all of the investments your business makes. Whether you’re creating a new marketing budget or figuring out how many new hires you can bring on, every pound counts.

Sometimes, you can end up spending less than you may have thought to fill a business need.

For instance, maybe you don’t need as large of an office space as you’d like to have, or perhaps an answering service works better for you than hiring a receptionist.

These are just a few ways you can be resourceful. The more you understand the costs you’re accruing now, the more you’ll be able to spend later.

No matter how much money you have to spend on the business, though, the goal should always be to get the most out of each expense.

The following is a closer look at the pricing and value of an answering service.

Understand the Cost of Not Having an Answering Service

Before getting into all the financial costs of hiring answering services, let’s consider the cost of not having one at all. Without properly managing the incoming calls you get every day, you’re taking a significant risk.

Here’s what can happen if you don’t have a system in place for answering phone calls and taking messages.

Lowering the Quality of Service You Offer

Think of the last time you tried to contact a business by phone. You could have been trying to do anything from making a restaurant reservation in one of Manchester’s finest spots, to attempting to reach a business partner.

Whatever the call was for, chances are you would have gotten frustrated if you had to leave a voicemail. These are important tasks to take care of, after all.

That’s how your customers feel. Maybe someone is calling to touch base about a pending order or contract. Maybe a funding group or research team you reached out to is trying to get back to you.

The bottom line is, when you don’t answer the phone, you’re hindering these relationships. An unanswered call tells the other party that you’re too busy to give them your time, or worse, that you’re not interested.

Such negative perceptions of your customer service are hard to bounce back from.

Losing Potential Business Opportunities

Sometimes, potential consumers and partners alike will be calling you to make contact for the first time. It’s even more important that you take these calls and follow up with them.

Start things off on the right foot by having an answering service receive the call. This ensures you have a consistent flow of leads entering your business funnel.

Failing to take such calls can back things up, and may end with you losing a large number of potential sales or a crucial partnership.

Spending More Money on an In-House Receptionist

When you have a reliable team offering substantial customer service and engaging with leads, you make more money. Make sure this revenue goes to good use.

Look into the costs of hiring on full-time employee versus investing in a handful of professionals to take your calls. More often than not, the latter will be more cost-effective.

Think about it – instead of one person to manage your calls, you get a whole team! Not to mention, many answering service packages offer round-the-clock communication. You may have the hardest working receptionist out there, but one person can’t work all of the time.

Analyse the Different Packages Offered

Speaking of special functions offered by an answering service, remember there are going to be a number of packages to consider.

Answering service companies understand that not every business is the same. They create a handful of call management options in order for you to invest in what makes the most sense for your team.

Telephone Answering

Our telephone answering service is one of the most extensive packages available.

It gives you a team of entirely UK-based, well-trained call service personnel. Shifts are created to take calls 24/7, and you can trust names, numbers, and messages will be properly recorded.

This is all done with the highest level of customer service possible. You can even choose your greeting and take advantage of free numbers. There are also regular MIS reports available to give you a better insight of calls coming into your business.

A Virtual Receptionist

While the telephone answering option is good for high-volume calls, you may need something a little more personal, like a virtual receptionist.

This answering service will take more than just the basics. You can trust it to record sensitive information in a safe, reliable manner. More so, custom scripts and switchboard service are available, too.

An Outsourced Call Centre Service

If you like the thought of a virtual receptionist service, consider taking it one step further. The outsourced call centre service package will offer a virtual receptionist and more.

This comes with an integrated CRM management function to help you organise all the leads you’re in contact with. It can take orders, handle your diary, do outbound calls, and even manage your emails.

It’s basically the ultimate way of handling all your business communications without going crazy. The price is clearly worth the value.

Live Chat Management

For the most personal approach possible, get an answering service that uses no AI whatsoever. That’s what the live chat management package does.

It’s 100% UK-Based, with all human support working round the clock to keep your various conversations going. This package is available 24/7, 365 days a year. You can customise communication options, manage chat windows, and take advantage of CRM integration, too.

The Price You Pay for Success

While you’re weighing the pros and cons of investing in an answering service, consider the quality versus the final cost. Sometimes, the number you’re expecting to pay becomes much more reasonable when you look at the big picture.

Imagine having more time to spend with your team and your clients in person. Think about all the things you’d get done without having to answer your phone every two seconds.

These are just a few of the possibilities available for answering services.

To discover all the benefits and find the exact price of a package for you, click here.